The key to any great company is the people. Of course, part of attracting and keeping the best people is compensation. It seems straightforward, but if you don’t develop a philosophy early around how you are going to compensate all those great employees you’re going to be in a world of hurt later, says Shannon Schiltz, who heads up a16z’s People Practice.

Compensation, from salary to different forms of equity, is the topic of this segment of the a16z Podcast. For the founders of many fast-growing companies it’s often an afterthought, says the other compensation expert on the pod, Than Nguyen. Founders are busy enough just finding enough people to build and grow their startup. But as a founder you need to raise your head up and consider how compensation fits into your long-term plans. Nguyen and Shiltz discuss ways to make that happen.